APPENDIX. IX there are some high sand-hills, called Abanbiisa ; and a few miles south-east of them a remarkable table- hill named Jebel-Alla.

Coasting along this part of the gulf, care must be taken to avoid a low rocky islet, with breakers east and west of it. It lies one mile and a half off shore, and is called Bushaifa. Upon the beach opposite the Islet, there are two wells of good water: they point out Secherine, which is the bottom of the Gulf of Syrtis, in latitude 30° 16' 00" north. From Secherine to Gartdbbah, there is a sandy beach ; but the general appearance of the coast will be hilly, with high mounds of sand. Near to Gartiibbah is Mersa Braiga ; the only place that we have seen in the Gulf of Syrtis, that is at all entitled to the name of a port, and here the protection is made by breakers.

Braiga may be known at a distance, by some very high sand-hills situated at the back of it, and on a nearer approach, by a heap of ruins upon a rocky point, at the western extremity of the Mersa. On the sandy beach within this point, there is safe landing with all winds. Fresh provisions may be procured from the Arab encampments at the back of the sand-hills, and in all probability, a plentiful supply of fish will be found in the bay *. The water here is brackish, and tastes of sulphur ; it is contained in wells high up among the sand-hills.

We should not recommend Mersa Braiga being approached in bad weather, on account of the number of reefs lying off it, and the difficulty there would be of working off, in consequence of the lee-set which the northerly winds always occasion in the Gulf.

From Braiga, the coast trends north-east by east, is rocky, and slightly indented; the shore, generally speaking, is high and hilly.

Ras Tabilbey is a bold promontory, with a sandy bay on either side of it. The summit of the Ras has been strongly fortified ; and the walls are carried up to a castle on the hill at the back of it, but these are now all in ruins, and cannot be discerned from the sea. The promontory is fexcavated into compartments, which from time, and the * A large rock cod was taken alive among the rocks, by one of our party. b Abanbasa.

Jebel-Alla.

Bushaifa Islet.

Gartiibbah, Mersa Braiga.

Ras Tabilbey.